Sing Me A Song
by Coming of Crepuscule
Summary: No one ever thought it was anything more than a harmless nursery rhyme. Oh, if only they knew... ItaSaku
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer:** Unfortunately, I do not own the Naruto gang. They are the sole property of Kishimoto.

**Summary:** Haven't thought of one yet, sorry =)

**Warning:** This is an AU fanfic - meaning it's NOT Narutoverse! There is also some swearing, but not too much. The pairing is ItaXSaku! If you have a problem with it, don't read it.

**A/N:** So this is the first chapter in a multi-chapter fic. The inspiration for it came to me from the prompt "sing me a song," thus the name of the fic. At this point in time, it probably doesn't seem like it has too much to do with the story, but don't worry about it, haha. Anyway, the whole thing is based off the premise of the English pirate Blackbeard and the nursery rhyme "Sing A Song of Sixpence." PLEASE NOTE: At the moment, this is unbeta'd, though I have a beta that is currently in the process of looking it over. I just couldn't wait to put it up (does that make me a bad person O_O?) Once she's done, I'll put up the updated version.

*This is a slightly edited version, due to the fact that you are not allowed to have "comments inserted in between the flow of a copied story." For the truly original version, please visit my personal website (link on profile).

Created: 12/29/08  
Published: 1/12/09  
Modified: 1/12/09  
Word Count: 4755  
Beta: TBA

Sing a song of six pence  
A pocket full of rye  
Four and twenty blackbirds  
Baked in a pie

When the pie was opened  
The birds began to sing  
Wasn't that a dainty dish  
To set before the king?

The king was in his country house  
Counting out his money  
The queen was in the parlor  
Eating bread and honey

The maid was in the garden  
Hanging out the clothes  
When down came a blackbird  
And snapped off her nose!

~ Unknown or various authors, dated early 1700s

* * *

Sing Me A Song

Chapter 1: Sixpence

"Sing a song of sixpence, pocket full of rye," a middle-aged man sang in a loud, boisterous voice as he stumbled drunkenly out the door of a small, grungy tavern.

Anyone with eyes could see that he was not of high birth. His dirt-smeared, white culottes were patched in several places, and the white linen peasant shirt beneath his short-sleeved waistcoat looked as if it hadn't been washed in months. It probably hadn't. Laughing heartily as he sang, the man zigzagged his way down the dank back alley, swaying unsteadily on his feet.

Staggering out into a crowded city square, he bumped into several people as they bustled by him in the busy street. He didn't seem to mind in the least and only cackled harder as he headed across the city to the harbor.

There were many vessels docked at the port. Most of them were large merchant ships due to set sail for distant lands with the prospect of profit and foreign goods in mind. There was one ship, however, that was somewhat smaller but much more luxurious than the rest. It was obviously made for the aristocracy, and this was only proven by the presence of a small group of nobles standing by the vessel in fine petticoats and silk brocades.

When they spotted the clearly inebriated man swaggering up to them, a few of them adopted looks of disdain and disgust while others arched delicate, aristocratic eyebrows. The man was not deterred by their contemptuous stares and continued to advance, cracked lips pulling up into a disturbing grin that showed off yellow, uneven teeth.

Stopping directly in front of a young, pink-haired noblewoman, he wrapped an arm around her thin, corseted waist. She could practically taste the rancid stench of cheap alcohol on his breath, like a week old dead rat under the staircase as he leaned towards her.

The pinkette wrinkled her nose and tried to shrink away as he slurred some nonsense about dainty kings and dinner plates in her face. As it was, she could only move so far with his arm locked around her waist. Not a moment later, the man was tugged roughly away from her and thrown to the ground. She felt a pair of large hands settle on her shoulders and pull her back into a hard, masculine chest as the male behind her addressed the drunk in a scathing tone.

"What in the blazes do you think you're doing, man?" She immediately recognized the voice as belonging to her good friend, Naruto Uzumaki.

The drunk vagrant did not respond to the harshly spoken demand, and he did not get up from his place in the dirt. The way he was laughing and muttering strange rhymes under his breath made it seem as though he'd completely forgotten their existence. This was, unsurprisingly, making Naruto quite angry.

"Oi, don't think you can get off by just ignoring me, you bastard! I asked you a question!" the blond, spiky-haired man fumed.

"Commodore, refrain from such foul language around the ladies, if you please," a tall, chocolate-haired man with oddly white pupils chastised. With a languid but elegant hand gesture, he waved over a local authority posted nearby.

"Do you require assistance, Lord Hyuuga?" the policeman inquired politely once he reached them.

"Yes, I would like you to detain this man for unsavory advances towards Lady Haruno," replied the Hyuuga.

"Right away, mi lord." The officer saluted to the young aristocrat, then instantly bent down to bind the vagrant around the wrists with a felt rope and yank him to his feet. The drunkard seemed to have trouble standing, however, and every few steps, his legs buckled until the irate policeman finally had to resort to practically dragging him across the ground. Once the pair was out of sight, all eyes turned to the pink-haired and somewhat flustered noblewoman.

"Hey, Sakura, are you alright? He didn't hurt you, did he?" Naruto asked, turning kind blue eyes to his childhood friend. "That bastard! If he did I'll-"

"Naruto, I'm perfectly fine; I assure you," Sakura interrupted, exasperated. As much as she loved the vibrant blond, he could be a bit…overbearing at times. With his naturally overprotective tendencies, one would think he had a brother complex of sorts.

"I'm pleased to know you're unharmed, Lady Sakura, but I'm afraid if we dally here any longer, we'll be late," the Hyuuga intoned.

"Yeah, what're we waiting for? Let's get on the damn ship already," another brown-haired noble cut in.

"Kiba, you could be a little more sensitive, you know! Our good friend was practically attacked, and you act as if you don't even care!" scolded a noblewoman with her hair tied up in two side buns. In annoyance, she snapped her silk fan together and poked the crass lord in the clavicle for emphasis.

"Now, now, Tenten, I think _attacked_ is a bit of an exaggeration," Sakura reasoned, trying to soothe her friend. She honestly looked as if she wanted to impale the young baron with her fan.

"See, she's perfectly fine," Kiba shrugged. He didn't wait for a rebuttal, however, and began walking up the wooden plank to board the ship. A giant white and brown-spotted dog followed hot on his heels.

Sakura merely sighed and brushed a hand through her pink locks before following the rest of her companions on board. This was going to be a long journey.

* * *

A lithe figure completely swathed in a floor length black robe scaled dexterously up the side of a luxury ship with practiced ease. The person moved quickly and fluidly, completely in his element, like a bird in the sky. Upon reaching the deck, he glanced over the side to make sure the coast was clear. Two guards were patrolling the main deck, but they could be easily dealt with.

Waiting until they passed, he launched himself over the side and swiftly dealt a blow to the base of both men's necks with the hilt of his sword. Two satisfying 'thuds' sounded as the unconscious guards slumped unceremoniously to the floor. Seeing as he couldn't just leave them lying in the middle of the deck, the figure grabbed the men by the scruffs of their uniforms and hauled them over to a shadowy corner. It wasn't exactly the best hiding place, but it would hopefully give him enough time to accomplish what he needed and get out undetected.

Quickly locating the stairwell leading up to the captain's quarters, he ascended a short way up until the stairs abruptly stopped, and he found himself standing in front of an elaborately decorated door. Keeping one hand poised over his sword - for it wasn't improbably that this was a trap - the cloaked figure quietly opened the door and slid soundlessly inside.

The room he entered was a large, simply yet tastefully-fashioned office. Although, if he had to describe it, it was more like a small parlor room than anything else. The hulking form of a lone man stood on the opposite side, staring fixedly out of a giant window situated behind an expensive, lacquer desk.

He hadn't heard the intruder's entrance, so the cloaked figure snapped the door shut with a very audible 'click.' Immediately, the man by the window whirled around at the unexpected sound. If he was surprised, however, his face betrayed nothing. Narrow, fathomless eyes locked on to the black-clad man standing across from him. Though his expression was obviously one of distaste, a look somewhat akin to grudging respect briefly flickered past his heavily scarred visage.

"You made it to my quarters without alerting the guards. Impressive," the bear-like man stated.

As admiral of the British navy, Morino Ibiki was a decidedly intimidating man. Not only did he literally tower over almost any average-sized person, but the copious scars he'd accumulated through years of service to his country was enough to scare off even the most hardened and scurrilous of men.

"You underestimate me, Admiral," the cloaked figure replied impassively as he pulled back his hood. A pair of onyx eyes, equally as dark as his hair, held the gaze of the Admiral unflinchingly. "I am a pirate, after all."

"Ah yes, which brings us to the reason why you're here," the scarred man continued.

"To send me to the gallows?" the pirate questioned unconcernedly.

The Admiral smirked, distorting his already heavily disfigured features. "As much as I'd like to see a noose around your neck, this is sadly not the case. I have a commission for you from his Majesty, the King."

"Is that so?" queried the robed man. Leaning his back against the door and crossing his arms, the dark-haired lawbreaker was the picture of boredom and disinterest.

Seeing that more needed to be said to hold the pirate's attention, the Admiral gave a curt nod and elaborated.

"In the fall of 1680, a Spanish galleon sank off the coast of the Bahamas during a tropical storm. It is rumored to have carried $1,500,000 worth of silver bars. The king wants you to retrieve the treasure and bring it safely back to England. He is willing to grant you complete clemency in exchange for your…services," the Admiral explained, practically sneering the last word.

"His Majesty is incredibly _kind_," the pirate retorted, his visage darkening. "However, it's going to cost a lot more than the King's forgiveness if he wants to employ _me. _England is on the brink of war with America, and the tensions are only escalating with every rise of the sun. Outrunning French warships is one thing, but trying to outstrip scores of French and American privateers is another matter entirely."

"Is that fear I sense?" Morino quipped mockingly. "Whatever happened to the great and fearless Red-Eye Raven?"

The dark-haired man shot him an irritated glare. "I may be bold, but I am certainly not suicidal."

The Admiral seemed to consider this a moment before finally capitulating. "Very well. Name your price. If it is within reason, it can possibly be arranged."

"In that case, there is but one thing I wish for." The pirate unfolded his arms and straightened up. His eyes glinted faintly as he voiced his request. "I want the complete restoration of my family's previous title, peerage, and fortunes."

"Ah," the naval leader drawled, not at all surprised. "That is a matter I must take up with the King, but I believe it can be done."

"Do we have a deal then?"

The Admiral nodded solemnly in affirmation. "Until we meet again, Duke of Dorset." By the time he finished the sentence, he was already alone in the room.

* * *

After making it safely off the Admiral's ship, the cloaked pirate began to head back to the shady side of the inner city. He passed by several drunks and other people of questionable backgrounds, but none seemed to notice his presence as he flitted from shadow to shadow like an uncommonly stealthy wraith. Winding through a labyrinth of narrow alleys and unkempt streets, he finally stopped before a small, shabby tavern with the sign hanging crookedly from its hinges. Pushing open the door, he took a quick survey of the occupants and almost immediately spotted who he was looking for.

"You're back," the other man began as the pirate pulled up a chair beside him at the bar. "What'd he want?"

"A commission," he stated blandly, ordering himself a drink.

"Oh? What did he offer you in exchange?" asked his companion, trying to keep the interest from his voice, though he was obviously intrigued. When a full minute passed by with no answer, he turned to the pirate and prompted, "…Itachi?"

Said man swirled the cup in his hand and took a refined sip of his drink, so unlike a common rogue. "I believe, little brother, that when this is through, the Uchiha name will reclaim its rightful place among the nobility." Standing abruptly, Itachi pinned his somewhat astonished sibling with a hard stare. "Gather a crew immediately. Offer them the usual sixpence and pocket of rye per day, but they must be ready for a long and difficult journey. They may split all goods we raid from other ships along the way. We'll have no need for any of it after this."

Once he finished his instructions, the pirate captain glided over to the entrance of the pub. Before completely exiting, however, he turned back to his speechless brother. "And, Sasuke, we depart tonight at high tide."

* * *

Sakura sighed wistfully as she turned another fraying page of her book, _Beowulf._ It certainly wasn't what was considered _appropriate_ reading for a lady, but the gentlewoman couldn't quite bring herself to care.

It was one of her favorites, and she absolutely refused to sit back like a content turkey and pretend to be enthralled by silly romance novels with thoroughly unrealistic plots such as uncommonly handsome rogues snatching the hearts of unsuspecting noblewomen. Ridiculous. Besides, she was a sucker for danger-filled, epic adventures; they were so much more entertaining.

Sinking further into the cushions of the armchair she was currently occupying, she flipped another page and continued to read until a loud BANG resounded in the distance. Ripping her eyes reluctantly from the book, Sakura looked up at the ceiling with a perplexed expression.

"W-what was th-that?" a timid, white-eyed noblewoman stuttered. Sakura had never met Lady Hinata before this trip, but she was one of Lord Neji's cousins. In the past week, she'd come to like the polite but overly-shy lady very much.

"It sounded like an extremely loud gunshot to me," Tenten commented, her face portraying her alarm as she slowly shut her book and glanced up at the ceiling, as well, from her place on the love seat next to Neji's soft-spoken relative.

Tapping her two pointer fingers together in a nervous gesture, Hinata stumbled over her words as she tried to voice her concern. "D-do you think th-there's s-something wrong?" Her eyes widened, and her voice grew shrill as she uttered the last word.

Tenten gave her companion a comforting pat on the hand while Sakura furrowed her brow in silent contemplation. "Well, perhaps we should head up to the deck and see if we can find anything out? I don't know about you, but I believe we've been sitting entirely too long in one attitude, and I have a terrible need to stretch my legs," Sakura suggested. "Besides, this gives us the perfect excuse to escape the sitting room for a little while."

"Agreed," Tenten complied, and all three women stood up simultaneously.

Seeing their approach, the two servants by the entrance quickly leapt into action and pulled open the double doors to allow the ladies through. Stepping into a fairly long corridor lined with several doors, they began to head towards a staircase at the opposite end. With every step, the clacking from their heels reverberated in the empty hall, accompanied only by the rustle of silk as their gowns skimmed the floor. Upon finally reaching the deck, however, they were immediately accosted by one of the nearby sailor men.

"Oi, whattuya lasses doin' up on th' deck? Yeh shouldn' be 'ere," he chastised, giving them all a disapproving look.

Mildly affronted, Sakura tried to keep her temper in check. Among the nobility, she was universally known to possess a quick tongue that often ran away with her. In compensation, she took on a sweet, pouty expression that inwardly made her hurl as she simpered, "we heard a loud noise from downstairs and just wanted to know what it was. Do you think you could enlighten us?"

The sailor hesitated, clearly unwilling to get in trouble for divulging any information to them. Sakura could practically see the options clunking around in his head as he gnawed his bottom lip in contemplation. In the end, though, he acquiesced, mumbling under his breath, "Aw, wha' kin it 'urt?"

Sakura smirked to herself at the small victory as the seafaring man continued. "Yeh see tha' ship o'er thar?" All three women turned to look where he was pointing to see a vessel about the same size as their own idly floating about a quarter of a league away.

"Yes, what about it?" Tenten huffed, not understanding how this ship pertained to their question.

"It's flyin' its flag upsi' down and shot offa distress signal witha flare gun. I'm assumin' thas th' sound yeh 'eard," the sailor explained, removing his hat to scratch the top of his head. "Commodore Uzumaki ordered us ta floa' by an' see if we kin 'elp. Iffit were up ta me, though, I'd say we shouldn' bother. Tha' boat looksuh bit suspicious if yeh ask me."

Sakura frowned slightly and took another long look at the unknown ship in the distance. She had to admit, the sailor had a point. Although it was still far off, she could tell that the vessel did not resemble any other ship she was familiar with; it was not a war craft, or a merchant's ship, or some aristocrat's boat like their own. She didn't know what to make of it.

"Well, ladies, now tha' yeh have yer answer, you'd best git back to yer rooms below deck. This be no place fer a woman," the seafarer admonished, distracting Sakura from her pondering.

Mumbling her gratitude, Sakura gave a less-than-cordial bob and turned on her heel to go back down the stairs. Tenten and Hinata followed suite, although Hinata gave a considerably deeper curtsy before trailing after her two companions. Once within the confines of the sitting room, the three women took up their previous seats and sat quietly, each lost to their own thoughts and speculations. There was a long bout of silence before Hinata finally chose to speak up in her timid voice.

"Th-the C-commodore is a ver-ry ki-kind man for h-help-ping that ship," the white-eyed woman proclaimed, tapping her pointer fingers together again.

Sakura glanced up at the woman and gave her a warm smile. It was obvious that she was completely infatuated by her blond friend if her reddened face and averted eyes were any indication. "Yes," she nodded. "His benevolence is insurmountable."

However, she couldn't help but mentally add that perhaps he was a bit _too_ benevolent as her thoughts returned to the mysterious ship. The whole situation just seemed…off, and she couldn't figure out why. Her curious nature would not let the matter drop, and damn it, she was going to find out!

Mind made up, Sakura stood abruptly and addressed her two female friends. "I am in need of relieving myself, but I shall return to you shortly." Both her companions gave her odd, questioning looks, but she ignored them for the most part.

Bowing her head respectfully, the pink-haired female turned and all but dashed from the room, intent on reaching the staircase at the end of the hall. Sakura tried to keep her steps light as she traversed down the empty corridor and stopped in front of the door at the top of the stairs. For some reason, her heart had accelerated and was beating so loudly in her chest that she was sure the men on the deck could hear it.

Taking a deep breath to calm her inexplicable nerves, she grabbed the knob of the door and pushed it open just enough for her to peek through it. As she had thought, they were just pulling to a stop beside the unknown vessel. The whole crew had gathered on the deck, including Lord Neji, Kiba, and Naruto, and were staring at the other ship with curious and perplexed expressions.

The ship looked completely abandoned. Not a soul was on deck or stirring within the cabins. There wasn't even the light of a kerosene lamp or wax candle flickering in a porthole or window. _What's going on_, Sakura wondered, a frown marring her delicate features.

The young woman watched as her long-time friend stepped forward and called out, "Is anyone there? I am Commodore Uzumaki. We're here to help." There was no answer.

After a few more minutes of heavy silence, one of the sailors finally spoke up. Sakura recognized him as the man who had informed her and the other ladies of the flare gun.

"Uh, Commodore," the sailor began stiffly. "Mayhap another ship come by and 'elped 'em already."

"That is not possible," Lord Neji cut in tersely. "We all saw and heard the flare gun. There is most certainly at least one person on that ship."

"Well I, for one, agree with the sailor. There's obviously no one on board, so let's get the hell out of here. We've wasted enough time already," Kiba grumbled impatiently while absentmindedly scratching his dog Akamaru behind the ear.

"No, Naruto frowned. "They may just be injured and unable to reply. I want half of you to come with me and search the ship. If you find any one, bring him to the deck."

A chorus of 'aye, aye captain' followed Naruto's firm orders, and the men split up into two groups. One would go with Naruto and Neji while the rest would stay on board with Kiba, who opted out of the so-called 'wild goose chase.' Long wooden planks were quickly located and lowered on top of the railings to act as walkways between the two ships. As soon as the men crossed to the other side, they split up and disappeared below deck.

With nothing better to do, the half left on board broke into murmured discussions, which Sakura didn't bother paying attention to. Nearly ten minutes passed in this manner, and Sakura was beginning to grow bored. Perhaps her suspicion and unease had been ridiculous and unfounded. It appeared to be no more than an abandoned ship after all.

The young noblewoman was just about to turn back and return to her two companions when a loud, blood-curdling yell rent the air. Whipping back around, Sakura looked just in time to see all the sailors dart over to the side of the ship, which lurched precariously due to the sudden shift in weight.

Kiba was at the forefront of the pack, his hands braced on the railing as his eyes skimmed the abandoned vessel. "Hey, what the bloody hell is going on over there!"

There was a heartbeat of silence before chaos broke loose.

* * *

Men. A large group of unknown men came sneaking up on the crew with swords drawn and killing intent in their eyes. Sakura wanted to fling open the door and scream out to them, to warn them of the danger slinking up behind their ignorant backs like cheetahs stalking their prey in high grass.

All she managed, however, was a barely stifled, horrified gasp as the first oblivious sailor was cut down with a slash to his jugular. The surrounding crewman had no time to react as a wave of sword-swinging enemies charged at them ruthlessly. The ring of metal met Sakura's ears as the crew drew their own weapons and battle ensued.

She knew she should run. She should lock the door, bound down the stairs, gather her two female friends, and find a good, secure hiding place. She certainly should not continue to stand there gawking while listening to anguished cries of pain and death. The pink-haired noblewoman tried to get her feet to move, she really did, but it was as if she had become a tree, rooted to the wooden flooring.

She watched in almost morbid fascination as numerous bodies, friend and foe alike, thudded lifelessly to the ground. Deep, red liquid leaked from their fatal lacerations to paint the deck like a canvas. By the time the fighting finally started to slow down, the sun was just beginning to dip behind the horizon, casting the sky in bloody hues to match the equally bloody scene.

Only Kiba and a small handful of crewmen remained, completely surrounded by the enemy. Kiba scowled and crouched in a defensive stance, Akamaru snarling menacingly by his side.

Most of the unknown men, Sakura noted wore bandannas or eye patches and badly frayed peasant shirts. By now, she'd deduced what they were - what the crew had been up against. It hadn't taken her long. After all, she read about them all the time in her adventure novels. Pirates. She trembled finely at the unspoken word; this was no book.

It was then that one of them stepped forward to address the small group of survivors. He seemed much different than the others. Unlike the bronze, sun-kissed skin of his comrades, his flesh was pale and creamy, a stark contrast to his dark hair and even darker eyes. He had no facial hair and almost effeminate features, though he was definitely a very masculine specimen. Despite herself, Sakura could not deny that he was a rather attractive man.

"Lower you weapons," he bit out coldly. When neither Kiba nor any of the other remaining men made a move to follow his command, he added, "unless, of course, you want to die."

Even from her place behind the door, Sakura could hear Kiba curse lightly under his breath but lower his weapon, all the same. Satisfied, the dark-haired man gave a small smirk and turned to regard the rest of the rogues.

"Tie them up then spread out and sweep the ship. Bring all the valuables back to the deck." As the men began to carry out his orders, his calculating gaze swept over the deck, taking in the casualties and gore.

Suddenly, intense black eyes were locked with hers, and Sakura stumbled back in surprise, almost taking a tumble down the staircase. A moment of panic seized her before she turned and fled down the stairs. She could hear blood thrumming in her ears like a waterfall and made it halfway down the hall before flinging herself through a door on her right. She glanced around to get her bearings and found herself in Tenten's room.

She grimaced. It didn't exactly have an abundance of hiding spots. There wasn't time to dwell on this, however, as the sound of heavy, clunking feet and the repeated opening and closing of doors drifted to her ears, getting closer and closer with each passing second. Mind made up, Sakura crossed the room and dove under the bed just as the door to her room slammed open.

"Check the closet," a gruff voice commanded.

_Clink, clink, clink._ More heavy footfalls as a pair of spurred black boots passed Sakura's field of vision beneath the bed.

"Now, now, poppet, no need to be afraid, yeah," the booted pirate cooed wickedly, swinging open the closet door. A muttered curse shortly followed. "She's not 'ere, mate, yeah."

The pirate near the hallway grunted noncommittally. "Well, let's move on, then. Bloody wench has ta be 'ere somewhere."

Sakura watched with baited breath as the pair of black boots entered her field of vision once again - this time, in the direction of the door. She heard the hinges creak as the two men began to exit, and relieved, she let a whoosh of air escape her lips in a soft sigh.

"What was that, yeah?"

Sakura's eyes widened in fear and disbelief. He'd _heard_ that?

"What're yeh talkin' about Blondy," the rough voice guffawed. "I didn't hear nothin.'"

A moment of silence followed as they paused in what Sakura could only assume was consideration or annoyance. Finally, the pirate with the strange speech pattern relented with a dismissive, "Whatever, yeah. Let's go."

There was a decisive 'click' as the door closed completely, and Sakura let her head drop to the floor, drained from all the anxiety. She waited like that for another minute or two, listening to the sound of fading feet before deciding to move from her hiding spot. After all, it was dirty and dusty and cramped, and she needed to figure out what to do from this point.

Shifting sideways, she managed to wriggle herself halfway out from under the bed when she felt her upper arm caught in a bruising grip. The noblewoman let out a small yelp of surprise as she was roughly yanked out from under the bed and to her feet, another hand coming up to capture her other arm in a strong hold.

"'Ello, love, yeah."

* * *

**Preview of next chapter:**

"I was under the impression I am to speak to the captain, so if you could kindly fetch him for me..."

Her voice trailed off weakly when she caught the brief flash of expression in his eyes. Was that _amusement_?... Despite her bravado, she arched a little farther back to try and put some space between them when he leaned forward to place his palms flat on the tabletop on either side of her, effectively trapping her between himself and the wood at her back.

"Ah, but my lady, you're looking at him."

* * *

**A/N:** Well, that wraps up chapter 1. I actually already have an unbeta'd version of chapter 2 up on my personal website (link on profile) if you want to read that, too. I won't upload it on the FF website until chapter 1 is beta'd, though. Remember to review! If no one likes this fic, then I won't bother continuing it, I guess. Honestly, I have other fics in mind that I can work on instead. If no one leaves a comment, then I'll take that as a 'why would anyone want to read this piece of crap story that's not even worth criticizing in a review,' which will also result in discontinuation, haha. Anyway, don't be afraid to give constructive criticism. I don't bite...often.


	2. Chapter 2

**Disclaimer:** As much as I wish it were so, you know the Naruto gang doesn't below to me.

**A/N: **A few people have been worried that this will be a rip off of Pirates of the Caribbean. I assure you that this is NOT the case. Honestly, I wasn't even thinking of POTC when I started writing this. As I said before, it all began with the prompt "sing me a song," which in turn, reminded me of the nursery rhyme Sing A Song of Sixpence, and I don't think I've mentioned this, but I'm somewhat of a research geek. What this means, is that I googled the meaning of the nursery rhyme, and although there were various results, the one that intrigued me most was the theory that it was actually used as a code for the pirate Blackbeard to recruit men for his escapades. I've researched this particular time period in general, as well, so this story will be heavily influenced by history. If you haven't guessed already, this takes place right before the brink of the War of 1812. I won't bore you with history lessons, though, haha. By the way, if you have any questions about terminology or something (ie: peerage, Spanish galleons, etc.), please feel free to ask in a review.

Created: 1/15/09  
Published: 1/30/09  
Modified: 1/30/09  
Word Count: 4609  
Beta: BlackElement7

* * *

Sing Me a Song

Chapter 2: Among My Enemies

"'Ello, love, yeah." Sakura found herself staring into the grayish-blue eyes of a blonde-haired pirate as he sneered in her face.

Pupils dilating in fear, she desperately tried to wrench herself from his grasp but to no avail. The already tight hold on her upper arms only grew painful in response to her struggles, and her captor merely cast a lopsided grin, clearly amused by her antics.

Turning his head towards the door, he shouted, "Oi, Kisame, look what I found, yeah!"

A couple moments later, Sakura heard those ominous footsteps drawing closer, yet again, and her movements temporarily stilled. Her eyes were riveted to the entrance as the knob turned, the hinges creaked, and the bedroom door flung open.

She gasped. Had it not been for the blonde pirate's hold, she probably would have stumbled backwards onto the floor, for in the doorway stood the most hideous man upon which she had ever had the misfortune to lay eyes.

He was enormously large in stature, having to duck down a good foot to even get through the door, and his skin held an unhealthy, unnatural bluish tint. However, these were not even his most frightening features. Sakura couldn't stop the shiver that ran down the length of her spine as he leered at her with disturbingly small, beady eyes, showing off a row of pointy, yellow teeth.

"Ah, found yerself a litt'l mouse, 'ave yeh, Deidara? I found a coupla me own, as well," the shark-like man cackled to his partner.

His voice seemed to jar the pink-haired woman from her initial shock at his appearance, but once his words registered, she let out another sharp exhalation. Finally taking notice of the two bodies slung over his shoulders like sacks of potatoes, her eyes widened in abject horror. It was Tenten and Hinata.

Sakura's struggles resumed, though she was even wilder than before, thrashing around blindly and jerking her body from side to side. The blonde pirate did not seem nearly as amused this time around, as her long pink hair fell loose from its simple up do and began whipping him across the face while small, delicate hands beat futilely against his chest. Emitting a low growl, he caught both her wrists in one hand and pressed the flat of a dagger against her cheek with the other. She stilled immediately.

"Now, now, be a good little girl and come quietly, yeah? I wouldn't want my hand to accidentally slip and cut that pretty face of yours," the blonde threatened blatantly, dragging the cold, smooth steel across her cheek for emphasis.

Sakura swallowed hard and gave an almost imperceptible nod. She didn't have a death wish, and it seemed like he had no intention to kill her - for now. Her captor smirked in satisfaction at her submission, and she shot him a heated glare. He just chuckled and pocketed his weapon before shoving her towards the door where the man named Kisame was waiting.

"Aight, let's bring 'em up ta the deck, yeah," Deidara suggested.

He continued to hold one of Sakura's wrists but rested his other hand imposingly at the juncture between her neck and shoulder. She complied stiffly as he led her down the familiar dark corridor and up the stairs onto the main deck. Immediately upon their entrance, all eyes zeroed in on them. "Sakura!" she heard Kiba call out from his place on the ground beside the five other captured crewmembers.

They were all tightly bound to each other in the middle of the deck with their backs pressed together. That dangerously handsome, dark-haired man from before stood beside them. He was openly staring at her with an unreadable, blank expression on his face, and she tried to ignore him, but she was finding it rather difficult. In front of her, Kisame dropped Tenten and Hinata unceremoniously to the ground beside the bound crew. Sakura nearly sighed in relief when she noticed the shallow rise and fall of their chests.

In her moment of distraction, Deidara shoved her roughly from behind. One of her heels caught on the hem of her heavy dress, and she tripped, landing promptly at the feet of the dark-haired male. All around her, the pirates broke out into mocking laughter, and she clenched her hands into tight fists to keep herself from doing - or saying, rather - anything rash.

"So, Sasuke, what do yeh want us ta do with 'em?" the shark man indicated the small, unfortunate group. "Do yeh think we could 'ave a litt'l fun?" His disturbing words were punctuated by another leering grin that Sakura tried hard to erase from her mind.

"No," the man before her replied firmly. "The captain has not given me instructions on this matter. I will confer with him and return shortly. In the mean time, watch the prisoners and begin loading the goods into the hold."

After delivering his orders, the man - Sasuke, Sakura remembered - began to head over to the side of the ship. Sudden, indescribable fear gripped Sakura then. She knew without a doubt that if she allowed him to go speak with this unknown captain, they would all die. There would be no one to convince the captain to let them live. After all, what good was a group of coddled nobles to a pirate? If they were lucky, he would maroon them on some island in the middle of the Atlantic. At least then, they'd have a _chance_ of survival.

No, she had to stop him. She had to talk to the captain, but _how _was the problem. How could she get this Sasuke fellow to take her to him? She wracked her brains, trying to remember everything she knew about pirates. All those adventure novels she read had to come in handy for something.

Seeing as the dark-haired male was just about to cross the planks to the other ship, she yelled out a firm "Stop!" She saw Sasuke pause mid-step and stiffen before turning back to face her, a slight expression of wonderment gracing his features. "Parlay. I invoke the right of parlay," Sakura breathed out, her shoulders set in determination. Heated emerald clashed with cool onyx.

"And what makes yeh think we would let yeh speak to the capt'n, yeah?"

"You are honor-bound to do so, are you not? Would you forsake the pirate's code?" Sakura shot back at the blonde.

Somewhere nearby, Kisame let out a bark of laughter. "And what would you know of honor and codes, poppet?"

Sakura huffed in indignation at the shark man's condescending tone, but before she could retort, Sasuke's smooth voice cut in. "Stop it." He regarded Sakura thoughtfully for a moment before seemingly coming to a decision. "Come with me."

Deidara nearly spluttered in disbelief, but at Sasuke's harsh glare, he quickly silenced himself. Sakura obeyed with almost alarming alacrity, unwilling to give him a chance to reconsider. Picking up her skirts, she practically dashed over to the dark-haired man and climbed onto the siding on her knees. With as much dignity as she could muster, Sakura pulled herself upright and took one step forward onto the wooden plank. She wobbled dangerously in her high heels.

Hesitating, she made the mistake of looking down at her feet and felt her stomach plummet to her toes. It was a long drop to the water. Biting her bottom lip and steeling her resolve, she reached down to slip off her shoes, chucking them onto the deck behind her. She heard a few hushed chuckles at her expense.

Sakura couldn't quite bring herself to care, though, as she cautiously trekked barefoot across the narrow wooden plank. Getting rid of the heels had improved her balance tremendously, but this did not change the fact that she was a good three or four stories in the air with nothing between her and a painful crash into the ocean but a thin piece of wood.

Sasuke was already on the other side waiting for her, and she could see a small smirk playing at the corner of his lips as he watched her slow progress. Inwardly, she let out a string of very unladylike curses. Fisting her hands in her skirts, she continued forward unwaveringly. She would not give him or any of the other rogues the pleasure of seeing her fear.

Finally reaching the end, Sasuke offered her a hand in mock politeness. Sakura pursed her lips and looked at it as if it would give her a terminal disease. She knew she was pushing her luck when his amused smirk pulled into an annoyed frown. Nevertheless, she opted to completely ignore him and hopped onto the deck without aid.

Mood fouling at her belligerent display, the young pirate snapped, "Follow me." This time, the pink-haired noblewoman complied, trailing silently after her captor as he led her across the main deck to a plain wooden door under the quarter deck. Opening it up, he let her enter first. "Wait here," he ordered. Then he was gone, slamming the door behind him.

Sakura fumed. She was getting really sick of this guy's supercilious attitude. He had a major superiority complex going on. Blowing away a lock of hair that had fallen into her face, Sakura tried to distract herself from both her annoyance and the helplessness of her situation by noting the characteristics of the sparsely decorated room.

She appeared to be in the captain's cabin. There was a small square table in the center of the room with several maps, a pile of coins, and various other items spread across the top. A low-hanging, candlelit chandelier hung just above the table, casting the room in dim light. A single, twin-size bed lay near the window, pushed up against the wall.

Curiosity getting the better of her, Sakura stepped forward to inspect a few of the items sprawled across the table. She was just in the middle of turning over a circular-shaped astrolabe when she heard the door creak open then softly click shut. Alarmed, she dropped the navigational instrument and whipped around, palms resting on the edge of the table as she leaned back against it. Her eyebrows drew together in slight confusion as she stared at the man who had just entered.

At first, she had thought he was Sasuke. He had the same black eyes, dark hair, slim build, and wore that infuriatingly blank expression. However, the longer she stared, the more differences she noticed.

This man was at least a few inches taller, and his hair was longer, tied in a low ponytail at the nape of his neck with long bangs that fell over a folded bandana tied around his head to frame his face. His jaw was a little more angular, lending him a slightly more masculine demeanor, as well. He looked to be in his early or mid twenties, though the two lines of stress running from the corners of his eyes down his cheeks betrayed his age.

Unfortunately, this did not make him any less devastatingly handsome. Sakura mentally cursed herself for the thought, but the fact couldn't be denied. All the same, this did not make him attractive in any other way but the physical sense.

"Who are you?" Sakura quipped, her eyes narrowing at the silent man watching her with an appraising gaze.

He lifted one finely sculpted eyebrow. "Perhaps it is I that should be asking you that question."

Sakura was slightly taken aback by the smooth tenor of his soft voice that shot involuntary shivers down her spine. For a pirate, he sounded incredibly cultured and educated, but now that she thought about it, so had Sasuke, and the two were obviously related.

Pushing aside his earlier statement, the young woman replied instead, "I was under the impression I am to speak to the captain, so if you could kindly fetch him for me…"

Her voice trailed off weakly when she caught the brief flash of expression in his eyes. Was that…_amusement_? She didn't have time to think on this development, for the man in question was now prowling towards her. His movement were lithe and graceful - enough to fill most noblewomen with envy.

Sakura tried to keep herself from cringing away as he stopped a mere foot in front of her, gaze unreadable and intent unclear. Despite her bravado, she arched a little further back to try to put some space between them when he leaned forward to place his palms flat on the tabletop on either side of her, effectively trapping her between him and the wood at her back.

"Ah, but my lady, you're looking at him."

The young woman widened her eyes in disbelief, her discomfort at his close proximity completely forgotten. "What! You're the captain? But…you're so young!" she blurted out before she could stop herself.

He made no comment, only stared at her unblinkingly. She could see his scrutinizing black eyes take in her features: high cheek bones, round, doe-like green eyes, and large forehead - something of which she had been so terribly ashamed in her childhood. She began to fidget, becoming more and more aware of his presence - his long, sooty lashes that were more befitting for a woman, the open collar of his shirt that revealed the top of his sternum, the faint heat radiating from his body. She turned her head down to the side, no longer able to hold his gaze.

He made a noise in the back of his throat that sounded suspiciously like a chuckle, but she couldn't be sure. She narrowed her eyes in anger. Had he been doing that on purpose to get a rise out of her? She wouldn't allow him to manipulate her in such a way! However, before she could continue this line of thought, the man took a step back.

"Please," he said, indicating the chair next to the table with a tilt of his head. "Take a seat."

Sakura watched him warily but sat down nevertheless. He seated himself across from her in another chair, legs crossed in front of him and fingers intertwined on his lap.

"Let's begin again, shall we? What's your name?" he asked languidly. Had he not asked her himself, she honestly wouldn't have believed he even cared to know. She supplied bitterly that he probably didn't care because he was most likely going to dispose of her after this anyway.

Despite her morbid thoughts, she lifted her chin proudly as she answered, "Lady Sakura Haruno, daughter of Viscount Torrington."

"And what is it you wish to talk to me about, Lady Haruno?" he drawled through half-lidded eyes.

"I want you to release me and my friends," she declared immediately, her eyes fiery with conviction.

The captain blinked slowly, giving her another one of those unreadable stares. "What will you give me in return?" he queried curiously, tilting his head slightly.

"Give you…in return?" Sakura faltered.

She hadn't considered that, but of course, he would want compensation. What kind of pirate would he be if he just let them go? She mentally berated herself for not thinking of this beforehand.

"I-I, my family has a decent fortune. I'm sure they would be willing to grant you a handsome sum in exchan-"

"I have no need for money," the captain cut in tersely.

Sakura reeled back in astonishment. A pirate that would turn down coin? "But then what could you possibly want? I have nothing else to offer!"

"Then I'm afraid our dealings are done." The dark-haired man made a move to stand, but before he could do so, Sakura leapt to her feet and lunged across the table to grasp his wrist.

"Wait!" she demanded, her eyes wide in panic. "Me! You can have me in exchange for the lives of my friends."

* * *

For a brief moment, Itachi was left speechless, though none of his surprise showed on his face; he looked as impassive as ever. The girl was willing to hand her life over to him in the name of friendship? What a foolish notion.

He wanted to point out that he already had her _and_ her friends' lives, and if he let them go, he would, in fact, gain nothing from this deal. For some reason, though, he refrained from voicing this aloud and actually found himself considering her proposal.

He had to admit, the girl was a rather intriguing bundle of enigmas. Her soft appearance - the pink hair and peachy skin - suggested an equally soft personality, and sometimes she acted as obedient and diminutive as could be expected from a lady of her station.

However, she proved that she could be fairly brazen and outspoken, as well. She also apparently possessed an uncanny sense of loyalty to her friends, which was a rarity among the upper class. Most of them were selfish, backstabbing ingrates that would do anything to rise to power. Yes, this Sakura Haruno was a puzzling creature indeed, and Itachi had always loved a good challenge.

"Alright."

"Alright?" she echoed. "As in alright you'll let my friends go?"

He nodded, and she stilled completely before practically wilting in relief, her head dropping to her chest as she gave a long sigh. Itachi cleared his throat to recapture her attention and looked pointedly down at his wrist, which she had yet to release. Following his gaze, her face reddened to the likeness of a ripe strawberry once she realized what she was doing and instantly snatched her hand back as if she had tried to grab the sun.

"I-I'm sorry," she stuttered awkwardly, averting her eyes in obvious embarrassment.

As much as Itachi would have liked to continue observing her humorous reactions, he figured the crew was probably beginning to get restless. If he didn't make an appearance soon, they would probably kill off her friends to pass the time. He needed to end this.

Standing up, the dark-haired man strode to the other side of the table next to Sakura and put out a hand. He noted the way she stiffened in response, her posture becoming noticeably tense as she glanced at his outstretched palm, up to his face, then back to his hand again. She seemed to be trying to figure out if he had an ulterior motive to his polite actions.

Itachi waited patiently. Finally deciding he had not other intention than to help her to her feet, she placed her thin fingers in his, and he pulled her gently to a stand to lead her to the door. He may be a pirate by nature, but he was bred to be a gentleman. The moment Itachi escorted her out onto the main deck, a loud, obnoxious voice assailed his ears.

"Sakura! Sakura, are you all right?" an almost frantic sounding blond, whom Itachi recognized as the commodore, yelled out to the pink-haired female standing slightly behind him. Despite being bound on the floor with that other white-eyed noble, he still had the audacity to glare up at him. "What were you doing with Sakura? If you touched her, I swear I'll-"

Deidara abruptly cut him off with a whack to the back of the head. "Oi, shut up, yeah!"

Sakura made a move to go to her friend, but Itachi shot out his hand to stop her. She scowled at him and called out instead, "Don't worry, Naruto! I'm perfectly fine."

A slight look of irritation flickered across the pirate captain's face at her disobedience, yet he refrained from stopping her verbal assurances. If it shut the blond up, then so be it. Besides, he would have plenty of time to teach her her place in the coming weeks, he supposed.

"Itachi, what do you want us to do with them?" he heard his brother ask, inclining his head to the two blue bloods.

"Return them to their ship with the other nobles. Dispose of the rest of their crew," Itachi ordered succinctly. Next to him, Sakura gasped.

"You can't kill them!" she bristled. "You promised to let them go!"

The young captain turned to her with a penetrating look, and she recoiled slightly. "To the contrary, I believe I most certainly can. Our deal was to release your friends and no one else."

"But they can't control a ship with but three men. They'll be stranded in the middle of the ocean!" she insisted, her emerald eyes flaring in barely suppressed anger.

Itachi gave a nonchalant shrug, clearly unconcerned by their circumstances. "Their problems are their own."

"You're simply going to let us go?" the white-eyed noble spoke for the first time, his voice thick with skepticism.

Ignoring the seething female beside him, Itachi gave a small nod in return. "You have Lady Haruno to thank for that. She is the one who bargained for your lives."

Though the blond declared his surprise at the news with a verbal exclamation, the other noble only widened his eyes and stared at Sakura with a calculating but thoughtful expression. "What did she offer in return?"

Itachi leveled both men with a cool gaze. "Herself."

Silence, and then:

"WHAT!" the Commodore exploded in fury. "You can't have her! Sakura belongs with us! If you think we'll just sit by and let you take her away, well, you're wrong!"

The captain merely stared down at the enraged blond impassively, calmly. "It was not a suggestion to be refuted. I am telling you that Lady Haruno will be accompanying me from here on out. She sacrificed a lot for your sake, Commodore. Perhaps you should show a little more gratitude."

With a purposeful nod to his crew, a couple of the pirates tugged both nobles to their feet by the back of their waistcoats and began shoving them towards the side of the ship with the wooden walkways. While the brown-haired noble went quietly, the commodore was inclined to do no such thing.

"Sakura, we'll get you back! I promise! I won't stop looking until we find you!" the loud blond declared, even as he tried to dig his heels into the deck and wrestle out of his captor's restraining hold.

Sakura was not looking at her friend. Instead, she wrapped her arms around her waist as if trying to comfort herself and dropped her head to the side. "I'm sorry, Naruto," was her whispered reply, though by now the blonde was on the other ship and well out of hearing range.

* * *

Sakura let her eyelids drift shut, trying to hold back the tears that were building up behind her eyes, threatening to spill down her slightly flushed cheeks. She was doing an admirable job. The only real indication of her inner turmoil was her long, shaky breaths; this is all she would allow. She did not want to appear timid or fearful before these _philistines_. They would surely exploit any weakness they could find.

Lifting her chin, she queried evenly, "What now, Captain?"

Itachi regarded the noblewoman out of the corner of his eye, and then turned his gaze back to the rapidly darkening sky. "The day is growing old. It would be best if you retired for the night."

Sakura said nothing in return, only trailed silently after him as he led her back to the captain's cabin. When he made no move to leave, she faltered slightly. It wasn't until he began slipping off his waistcoat, though, that she finally said something.

"What are you doing!" she screeched, quickly turning her back to the undressing man.

He very nearly smirked at her distress but managed to keep his face blank. "I'm preparing for bed, my lady. What else would I be doing?" Even though she refused to look at him, he could see the backs of her ears reddening.

"You're sleeping here?" she questioned incredulously, still staring resolutely at the wall. Sakura couldn't believe what he was suggesting. Just the thought of it was nothing less than scandalous!

"Of course. Where else would I sleep, Lady Haruno? This is, after all, my room," Itachi replied matter-of-fact as he unarmed himself and set his weapons on the table. She began to protest, but he interrupted her mid-phrase. "You may either sleep in here with me, or you may sleep down in the hold with all the other men. Take your pick."

Sakura immediately snapped her mouth shut and fisted her hands in her skirts again. She was in the process of thinking up several derogatory names for the young captain when she suddenly felt warm breath caress the shell of her ear. Green orbs widened in surprise. When had he gotten so close?

"Relax, Sakura. You have nothing to fear from me. Your honor will not be compromised unless, of course, you wish it to be so."

His words were meant to be reassuring, but she felt far from comforted. Her whole body trembled finely as her gut twisted in…anticipation? Anticipation of what, she didn't know. So caught up in his insinuations and her own reactions to them, she didn't even notice that he had used her first name.

Whipping back around, the pink-haired woman began, "I-"

She stopped abruptly, pupils dilating, cheeks growing hot once she realized her mistake. Itachi stood not but a foot in front of her only wearing a pair of loose fitting black culottes and large, cream-colored undershirt. His shirt was half-open in the front, giving her a _very_ close up and personal view of his chest, smooth and hairless. Her blush hardened.

The corners of Itachi's lips twitched minutely. It had been a long time since he'd met a woman quite so innocent. As it was, the life of piracy didn't exactly throw him in the way of chaste females. Most of the wenches he met were only too eager to get him to disrobe. Sakura's bashfulness was actually somewhat refreshing. Using one hand, he gently but firmly pushed down on her shoulder until she sat on his bed. Sakura stared up at him with wide, doe-eyes and flushed features.

"Sleep, my lady. You'll need your rest."

Sakura watched almost dazedly as the pirate captain walked away to a darkened corner of the room and sat in a large, deep red armchair she hadn't notice before. Propping his feet up on the small footrest, he closed his eyes to the world, and for all intents and purposes, looked like he had already fallen asleep.

Belatedly, the viscount's daughter realized she was staring and promptly lied down on the bed, facing the wall. The pillow her head rested on held a distinctly masculine scent. It was rich and spicy and smelled faintly of the salty ocean. It brought back unbidden memories - reminded her of days long gone, of days in her childhood when she was still allowed to get dirty and play on the beach in the sand.

Sakura stayed like that for a long time, letting her mind run through a crash course of her life and how it had all led up to this point - the here and now. Idly, she wondered if she could have done anything different, if she would be able to see her friends again, if her life would somehow return to some semblance of order.

It was only then - when she thought he was asleep - that she let the tears fall, let them leak from the corner of her eyes to drip down her face like a drop of dew down the stem of a leaf. The fabric of the pillow soaked up the moisture like soil as she cried herself to sleep.

* * *

**Preview: **

"Do not touch our guest, Deidara," Itachi commanded, enunciating each word slowly. His soft whisper carried deadly undertones…

"Che, wouldn' dreama it, yeah."

* * *

**A/N: **Ok, first of all, sorry for the delay. I actually meant to put this up last Sunday, but I've decided to always be one chapter ahead before I update, and chapter three took an appallingly long time to write. Life also got a little bit hectic. My winter break ended, so I had to go back to school last Tuesday, and my new classes are a lot harder or at least involve a lot more work than last semester's. Then I had to compete in an out-of-state gymnastics competition over the weekend, so I didn't have access to a computer anyway… Finally, thanks so much to all my wonderful reviewers! I really appreciate your feedback and opinions, even if it's just to say what parts you liked the least or the most. I love them all! Ciao!


	3. Chapter 3

**Disclaimer:** No, I unfortunately do not own Naruto. Props to Kishimoto.

Created: 1/30/09  
Published: 3/02/09  
Modified: 2/02/09  
Word Count: 4821  
Beta: BlackElement7

SMAS Ch 03: Blitzkrieg

Sakura was going insane; she was sure of it. Ever since that raid on her ship and her deal with the devil, she hadn't stepped foot outside the captain's cabin – not once. Even though her seclusion was purely voluntary, and Itachi had told her she could roam the ship if she so pleased, he couldn't possibly believe she would willingly wander around with those miscreants milling about.

She refused, quite simply, to have any sort of contact with those pirates if she could help it. At least, this had been her original resolution. She was seriously reconsidering that declaration now, however.

Four days. Sakura had gone four days with virtually no human contact whatsoever. Since she never ventured outside his room, Itachi was the only person the noblewoman ever saw, and even that was a rare occurrence.

He was always already gone when she woke up, though he never failed to leave her a plate of food, and he usually didn't return until after she'd fallen asleep. If he did, it would only be for a few short minutes to grab something off the table or to study a map of some kind. Other than that first day, they probably hadn't exchanged more than ten short sentences.

Although Sakura certainly wasn't complaining, she had to admit that this was, in fact, even more dull than lounging around the sitting room on the other ship with her friends. At least there she'd had adventure novels in which to indulge and companions with whom she could converse – ones that responded with more than monosyllabic words and actually made use of voice inflection.

The viscount's daughter nearly twitched in irritation as she recalled the outrageously enlightening conversation she'd had with the young captain during her second day of captivity.

"What exactly do you plan to do with me?" she'd asked from her spot on his bed as he set down her dinner on the table.

"Nothing," he'd replied, spreading out another map, not deigning to even glance at her.

"Nothing?" she'd echoed, her forehead scrunching in confusion. "So you expect me to sit locked up in your room collecting dust for an indefinite amount of time like abandoned furniture?"

"I would hardly call it locked up, Lady Haruno. You are certainly free to explore the other areas of the ship if it so pleases you," he'd refuted in that annoyingly bland voice of his.

Sakura had seethed silently in indignation at that. "Well, what was the point of bringing me along if you have no intention of doing anything?"

"My lady," he'd drawled, finally looking up from his intense scrutiny of the maps to pin her with a slightly amused expression. His eyebrow lifted in a manner that was becoming far too familiar for her liking. "You almost make it sound as if you _want_ me to do something to you."

Sakura had blanched, turned an alarming shade of red, and promptly sealed her lips shut in mortification. That was not what she had meant, and he knew it! To add insult to injury, the damn man had given one of his oh-so-rare smirks at her expense before sweeping out the door to do whatever undoubtedly illegal activities that pirates are prone to do.

The noblewoman scowled. It seemed fairly obvious that he had no intention of using her to sate his sexual impulses, which had been her first assumption, but it appeared that he had no interest in using her for any other form of entertainment either. Once again, she was definitely not complaining, but it truly baffled her.

She didn't know what to expect, what he wanted, or why he even bothered keeping her alive. It made her wary and suspicious – even more so than she already was. Then there was the matter of Itachi himself. He was so…different from what she'd imagined, nothing like the pirates she read about in her adventure novels.

When she'd requested to speak to the captain, she had expected a rotund, middle-aged man with a peg leg and missing eye. She'd thought he would be lewd, violent, and deplorably ill-mannered. From what she'd seen, though, Itachi was nothing of the sort. In fact, most of the time, he was unfailingly polite and refined.

Be that as it may, he was perhaps the least colloquial person she'd ever had the displeasure of conversing with, and damn it, she wanted – no, needed – some type of human interaction whether it be with a pirate or a noble. By this point, she would settle for either one.

As if to encourage herself, the gentlewoman nodded her head and glided over to the door to place her hand hesitantly on the knob. On the opposite side, she could hear raucous jeers, thick with heavy, seaman accents. She released a shuddering exhalation before tightening her grip on the handle and yanking open the door.

Almost immediately, the derisive laughter and crude jokes stopped. Sakura couldn't actually see the pirates' reactions, however, as she squeezed her eyes shut and turned her head away from the sun. Although there was a window in the captain's cabin, it was heavily tinted and allowed for little sunlight. She could feel the sun's full effects now, though, burning through her eyelids. Somewhere slightly off to her right, she heard a familiar, gruff laugh.

"Well, well, iffit ain't th' frightened litt'l bunny peakin' 'er head outta 'er rabbit hole," the shark man – Kisame, if she recalled correctly – sneered.

His words were followed by a series of snickers from the rest of the crew. Still somewhat blinded, Sakura shot a scathing glare in the general direction of the voice. Why had she decided to come out here again?

"Not at all," she replied lightly, sounding far braver than she felt. "I was merely worried that I would contract whatever terminal disease seems to be plaguing you. I'm afraid turning blue would clash rather horrendously with my hair, don't you think?"

Though she appeared cool and composed on the outside, inwardly, she was kicking herself. _Stupid, stupid, stupid, s_he berated. Honestly, did she have a death wish? Perhaps staying cooped up in Itachi's room had addled her brain a little more than she previously thought if she was brazen enough to throw around insults like that.

The whole crew was deathly silent, shocked into speechlessness by her blatant audacity. Briefly, she wondered if now would be a good time to jump overboard. Due to her inability to swim and the heavy weight of her three-layered dress, she would most definitely drown, but she was positive it would be a much swifter and less painful death than anything these pirates were sure to come up with.

She mentally cringed as images of being keelhauled or worse floated to the surface of her mind. To her utter surprise, though, Kisame burst into loud, boisterous, knee-slapping laughter, effectively breaking the unbearably tense atmosphere.

"Ain't tha' cute? The litt'l bunny 'as a pair o' claws ta boot," he cackled as if he thought his analogy was the funniest thing he'd ever heard.

A few chuckles joined in with his, and now that Sakura's eyes had adjusted, she could see the blond pirate by Kisame's side, smirking at her.

"Those were some pretty tough words fer an 'ostage, girl, yeah," Deidara grinned. The one eye that wasn't covered by an eye patch and his long, side-swept bangs gleamed in amusement.

Sakura snorted. "It's not exactly a difficult feat when my captors are a fish and a wannabe pirate that could pass for a woman."

She figured she probably shouldn't speak anymore. Seriously, her tongue was going to get her killed if Deidara's livid expression was any indication. Apparently, he didn't take quite as kindly to insults as Kisame did.

"Wha' was that, yeh wench, yeah!" he snarled savagely, taking a menacing step towards her.

"You heard me," she retorted evenly. "Or are you having troubles comprehending, as well?"

Almost before she could process what was happening, Deidara growled and lunged for her. In her panic, Sakura tried to retreat but felt her back collide with the door after only one step. Her pupils dilated in fear. The enraged blond was almost upon her now, fist raised in a striking position.

Gasping, the scared noblewoman clenched her eyes shut and cringed against the door to brace herself for the blow. It never came. She could hear her breath coming in short, ragged pants and tried to calm herself down. Slowly, she cracked open her emerald orbs, which quickly widened in surprise.

Deidara's fist was but five short inches from her nose. However, the man in question wasn't paying any attention to her at all. Instead, he glared furiously at the man standing beside him who held his wrist in a rip so tight that anymore pressure would likely crack the bone. A lesser man would be on his knees in pain right now, but Deidara wouldn't give _Him_ the satisfaction.

"Capt'n, yeah," the blond spat lowly.

Itachi appeared as bored and expressionless as ever, but Deidara had worked with him long enough not to be fooled. He could see that dangerous glint lurking in the captain's eyes, and the way he was practically crushing his wrist acknowledged that the dark-haired man was anything but calm.

"Do not touch our guest, Deidara," Itachi commanded, enunciating each word slowly. His soft whisper carried deadly undertones.

Despite his anger, Deidara couldn't help but notice the captain's uncharacteristic aggression. He'd been displeased with him on several occasions prior to this, but he'd only ever given him a verbal lashing. He never physically intervened. The blond wondered if it had anything to do with the pink-haired slip of a girl standing next to them with wide, doe eyes.

Sakura, on the other hand, was becoming increasingly intrigued by the scene unfolding right in front of her. Now that she seemed to be relatively out of harm's way, she took the chance to observe the interactions between the two men, her gaze flickering back and forth between them.

They obviously held deep-seated hatred for each other; that much was apparent. The tension that surrounded them was almost palpable as they exchanged heated glares, neither one willing to relent and back down.

Sakura figure that their mutual dislike must have started quite awhile back – certainly before she'd been captured and probably even before they'd embarked on this voyage. She found herself pondering what circumstances could have given rise to such incredible animosity and why they chose to travel together when it was wholly unnecessary.

For a moment, the blond looked as if he was going to retaliate but seemed to think better of it and roughly snatched his arm back instead.

"Che, wouldn' dreama it," he sneered derisively, turning his back on the captain and elbowing past a few fellow pirates before disappearing down into the hold. Itachi let him go, singeing holes in the back of Deidara's head as he went. Sasuke was the first one to break the ensuing silence.

"Well, what're you all waiting for? Get back to work," he ordered, his voice sharp and unyielding.

As the men scrambled back to their posts, he shot Itachi a small, terse nod, which was duly returned. The young captain turned back to Sakura then and stepped towards her, reaching out an arm. She flinched.

Although he had never raised a hand against her, he was still wearing that strangely intense expression that was both exhilarating and frightening all at once. He did not touch her, however. He simply wrapped his hand around the handle beside her and pushed open the door.

"Go inside," he commanded softly, never losing eye contact.

Sakura stumbled backwards into his room, and he followed, shutting the door quietly behind him. She regarded him warily, trying to gauge his reaction. Was he angry? Annoyed? Indifferent? The latter seemed more likely, but she could never be sure with this man.

She could never tell what he was thinking, and it infuriated her to no end. She was used to being around people like Naruto, who was always more than happy to proclaim his emotions and opinions to the world.

After what could have been several minutes, Itachi finally spoke. "As amusing as it may be, I would recommend that you refrain from provoking anymore of my men."

"Believe me, that was not my intention," Sakura commented dryly. "Though I would have expected a pirate to be more tolerant to off-hand taunts. You've heard far worse, I'm sure."

"Be that as it may, it is not your place to alleviate your boredom by inciting the crew members and distracting them from their duties."

The noblewoman's temper flared. "And what is my place? To act as a glorified pet for your sick amusements?" she queried, her voice full of accusation as she straightened up and fisted her hands in her skirts.

Itachi was standing directly in front of her before she could blink, grasping her chin between his pointer finger and thumb. She tried to shake his hand loose, but he wouldn't allow it. He merely stepped even closer, holding her gaze with smoldering, half-lidded eyes.

"You seem to be forgetting why you're here, my lady. You gave me your life; it is mine to do with as I please. You should consider yourself lucky. Most other pirates are not nearly as lenient as myself," he warned, then leaned forward until his lips were flush with her ear. "There are far more unpleasant things I could use you for, Sakura."

Her name rolled off his tongue in a voice that was uncharacteristically sultry and suggestive. He placed his free hand on her hip and gave it a gentle squeeze to emphasize his point. She shuddered beneath his touch, though he was uncertain whether it was due to his words or the unfamiliar, physical contact. It was probably a combination of both.

Itachi made sure to let his cheek slide lightly against hers as he drew back. The trembles grew stronger, and satisfied that she was thoroughly subdued, he released her completely and walked back to the door. He would, of course, never force himself on a woman. He had been brought up better than that, but it worked to his advantage to let her believe he had no qualms against it if ever he had the inclination.

The pink-haired woman continued to stand dazedly in the middle of his room, hands still clenching the folds of her dress in a white-knuckled grip. Before completely exiting, Itachi paused to address her once more.

"I won't stop him next time, my lady."

Then Sakura was alone in the room, unable to move. It wasn't until a few minutes after he'd left that she let herself sink to the floor.

* * *

White, pupiless eyes moved back and forth, following the irritated blond as he cut tracks in the floorboards with his pacing. Every once in a while, he would hear a muttered curse or frustrated growl as Naruto threaded his fingers through his hair, yanking angrily at the spiky locks.

"Cease and desist, Naruto. Your pacing is getting us nowhere," the Hyuuga sighed from his place sitting on a lush, comfortable chair in the captain's cabin.

"Yeah seriously, you're giving me a damn headache," Kiba added, leaning against the wall with crossed arms.

After they'd been released, the commodore had gone into a fit of inconsolable rage. He'd stamped around the ship trying to run it by himself, proclaiming that they needed to go after Sakura. Neji had pointed out that doing such would endanger Lady Tenten and Hinata, who had still been unconscious and that it was impossible to run a ship with three men.

Even if they could, they couldn't seriously expect to catch up to and defeat a ship of four and twenty pirates. Naruto had only gotten even angrier at that and accused both the Hyuuga and the Inuzuka of cowardice and obstruction of justice.

Since then, Naruto had calmed down a little bit but continued to grace his two male companions with rather dirty glares and refused to talk to them unless absolutely necessary. It was actually quite an accomplishment for someone like Naruto who seemed to never stop talking. Had the situation not been so dire, the Hyuuga would have found it amusing.

As it was, Neji recognized the severity of their predicament and agreed completely with Naruto on one aspect. Sakura had to be rescued. Four days had elapsed since their capture and subsequent release. Luckily, they had been found by an English merchant ship only a day after being stranded in the middle of the Atlantic, and once they'd explained their circumstances, their new-found savior had kindly rushed them back to the port at breakneck speed.

They'd made it back to the harbor in less than half the time it had taken them to travel to the place where they'd been attacked. Immediately upon arrival, Naruto had requested an audience with the Admiral, for whom they were currently waiting in his room aboard a ship. The young commodore looked as if he would spontaneously combust in his impatience if the admiral didn't arrive soon.

"Ah, Commodore Uzumaki, to what do I owe the pleasure?" Morino Ibiki greeted in his usual clipped tone as he stepped into the room. "I thought you left for the Isles over a week ago?"

Naruto paused abruptly in his pacing and turned to his superior. In his haste, the blond completely forewent all formalities, not even bothering to bow or salute before addressing the older man.

"Admiral, sir, I need permission to dispatch a fleet immediately."

"Dispatch a fleet…Whatever for, Uzumaki?" the bear-like man questioned incredulously.

The commodore had a wild, panicked look in his eyes that made him seem almost feral. The Hyuuga couldn't really blame him, though. His best friend had just been snatched away by a group of dangerous criminals, and he was wasting precious time trying to get people to empathize with his cause.

"Pirates! We were attacked by a band of pirates on the way there. They slaughtered our entire crew and left us in the middle of the ocean!" Naruto exclaimed, illustrating with vicious, flailing arm gestures.

The admiral was unimpressed. "Commodore, I will not sanction an entire squadron of naval ships in order for you to exact some ridiculous revenge. The way I see it, you're lucky to even be alive. Stop while you're ahead," the Admiral deadpanned, obviously unsympathetic.

"But you don't understand!" Naruto shouted, wholly unconcerned that he could be dismissed from his position for speaking thusly to his superior. "They have Sakura!"

Morino stilled at the outburst, though he showed no other sign of surprise. "Lady Haruno?" The blond nodded his head vigorously in response, and the naval leader sighed heavily. "That is grave news indeed."

After all, the admiral was close friends with the girl's father, the Viscount Torrington, and he'd known her practically since the day she was born. The viscount would be crushed by the news. Nevertheless, what the commodore requested was an impossible demand.

"I'm sorry, Naruto, but I cannot help you. I give you my condolences. Please pass them on to her father for me."

"What!?" the blond yelled. "You aren't seriously suggesting that I abandon her, are you? We have to save Sakura!"

"Commodore," the Admiral bit out sharply. "We are about to go to war with America, and England is the only major military power standing between Napoleon and French hegemony. We cannot afford to send out ships on unconventional side missions in these perilous times. Such would be folly."

"But-"

"No, Naruto. Would you have me jeopardize the safety of the nation, of _Europe, _in exchange for the life of one noble girl who, for all we know, could already be dead or worse?"

The blond seemed to wilt at his harshly spoken words, the light flickering out of his hopeful blue eyes like a candle. He made one last attempt. "Then just one ship – one ship and a small crew of men. That's all I ask," he beseeched softly this time.

The admiral regarded him quietly for a moment, contemplating the request. "Very well, I'll allow one ship and two dozen men. That's all you'll get from me," he compromised.

Naruto visibly brightened, his fiery determination returning with the force of a hurricane. The admiral wasn't done, however.

"You have two months, Commodore. If you haven't found her by the end of these two months, then you are to return here immediately. Is that understood?"

The blond nodded his head in affirmation, practically bouncing on his toes in anticipation. "Don't worry, Admiral, I'll definitely get her back by then."

_Yes, _Naruto thought. _There's no way I'm going to fail. Wait up for me, Sakura, because I'm coming to get you!_

* * *

For the past three days, Sakura had been trying to avoid Itachi religiously. She knew it was cowardly, but it seemed somewhat ridiculous to continue worrying about things like pride and bravery in her present situation, especially when they proved to do nothing but get her in trouble.

Her plan thus far appeared to be working remarkably well, though it wasn't exactly difficult to accomplish considering how little she saw of him in the first place. Perhaps if she behaved and kept to herself long enough, he would simply grow bored and let her go or not bother to keep as close of an eye on her. She nearly snorted at her helplessly hopeful thoughts. _That_ was unlikely to happen.

Despite herself and her ludicrous ideas, she couldn't help but think that maybe, just maybe there could be a possibility of escape. She assumed they would have to stop at a port someday, and if Itachi let his guard slip just a little, she might be able to break away.

Maybe she could create some type of distraction to draw away his attention or somehow incapacitate him long enough to make a break for it once they were on land. She almost immediately discarded the last thought. Even if she somehow managed to get away from Itachi, she would still have the rest of the crew to contend with.

Sakura was in the process of trying to think up various escape plans, each one wilder and more absurd than the last, when she heard a loud, cracking boom that could pass for rolling thunder. She furrowed her eyebrows in confusion. Were they heading into a storm? The air seemed too dry for such an occurrence.

Out on the deck, she could hear the pirates scrambling around and shouting in what sounded like panic or excitement-filled voices, but she couldn't make out what was being said. A moment later, another thunderous explosion rumbled, and then the ship shook so violently that Sakura nearly fell off the edge of the bed.

More of the loud thunder claps followed, but they were coming much more frequently now and closer together, sounding like a fireworks finale. On the table, all of the captain's instruments rattled, and the candle-lit chandelier hanging up above trembled precariously as if in the throes of an earthquake.

Righting herself, the noblewoman stood to her feet and crossed the room with every intention of finding out just exactly what was going on, facing Itachi be damned. The sight that greeted her upon opening the door, though, was certainly not what she had expected.

The entire main deck was completely empty. Glancing around bemusedly, Sakura stepped out into the open and was about to call out when yet another explosion accompanied by a geyser of ocean water shot up alongside the ship. The pink-haired woman gasped and stumbled back as she was sprayed with cold, salty water, almost tripping into the square-shaped hole in the middle of the deck that led down to the hold.

Once the geyser of water thinned and misted, Sakura was able to catch sight of what lay on the other side. She reeled back in surprise. It was another ship! Inwardly, Sakura was elated and resisted the urge to pump a fist into the air, a very Naruto-like action. Maybe her blond friend had come to save her!

There was another blast – which Sakura now recognized as cannons – that shook the ship, and she saw pieces of wood fly off into the ocean. She frowned. If they were trying to rescue her, then why were they firing cannon balls? If the ship sank, she would go down with it!

She began to panic as her mind raced. Perhaps they thought she was already dead and just wanted to bring her justice? The green-eyed aristocrat was growing increasingly distressed by her thoughts when an even more disturbing one snagged her attention. What if it was more pirates? Her heart skipped a beat at the mere suggestion. The evidence was there, however: the resemblance of the vessels, the lack of a national flag, their unrestrained belligerence.

It was then that Sakura heard a noise from below, drifting up from the hold. She gazed into it curiously. It was faint, but she could hear voices filtering up to the deck, almost completely drowned out by the bang from the cannons. She quietly debated with herself whether or not to go down. It was either that or return to the cabin, neither of which seemed like a particularly grand idea.

Her mind was made up for her when a part of the deck by the bow blew up; it was getting too dangerous to stay up here. Hurriedly stepping onto the ladder, she descended, albeit slowly, into the hold. Once she reached the bottom, she waited for her eyes to adjust to the change in lighting. It was much darker here than in Itachi's room, and there were only a couple of kerosene lamps.

Tentatively, Sakura took a look around at her surroundings. She appeared to be in the sleeping quarters. There were several hammock-like pieces of cloth and netting hanging from the ceiling or tied to posts, and a few personal items were scattered haphazardly throughout the room. It smelled terrible – like rotten fish and stale alcohol.

The green-eyed noble paused in her observations when she heard the voices again, coming from an open door to the right. As quietly as she could, Sakura tip-toed over to the door, making sure not to accidentally trip over or bump into anything that could alert them to her presence. After all, she wasn't exactly sure she was allowed to be down here, and she'd really rather not have another confrontation with the stoic pirate captain. She'd had three already, and in her opinion, that was three too many.

Still standing well within the sleeping quarters, Sakura glanced around the corner of the doorway. Sure enough, the whole crew was in the adjacent room, which resembled more of a long hallway that spanned the length of the entire ship.

They were all separated into groups of three or four, each little faction assigned to a different cannon. Sakura watched as some of the men went to grab more of the heavy balls resting against the opposite wall while a couple loaded them into the long barrel and another lit the fuse. By now, it sounded like an all-out war was going on and not just a battle between two ships.

Halfway down the corridor, Itachi was instructing the men calmly and sometimes stepped in to help. Despite all the commotion and cacophony from the weapons, he never once raised his voice. Nevertheless, no one seemed to have a problem hearing him, and his orders were always carried out immediately and without question. It occurred to Sakura that he was probably a very experienced and fearsome pirate to be able to command such respect from his crew.

The opposing ships continued their exchange, trying to see who could outlast the other. Sakura was beginning to worry as the impromptu battle dragged out. Surely, neither ship could take much more of this abuse. Almost as if they'd heard her thoughts, the cannons abruptly stopped.

"Looks like they've ceased fire, capt'n," one of the men remarked.

A couple of the others peaked out the portholes to confirm this declaration, everyone else momentarily halting their actions. Although Sakura couldn't actually see him from her current position, she could clearly visualize the smug smirk she was positive Deidara currently had on his face as he jeered, "Guess they couldn' take th' heat, yeah,"

Several laughs and chorused agreements followed the blond's jibe. Itachi, however, was far from celebrating. The young captain held up a hand, and the whole crew immediately ceased their banter and derogatory commentary as they waited for his next orders.

"I want all of you to return to the main deck and prepare for close-quarter combat. This is far from over yet."

* * *

**Preview: **

Then his lips were on hers as he kissed her roughly. It was nothing like she expected her first kiss to be. It was not tender and sweet, only harsh and dominating as he tried to force his way into her mouth. She did not relent, though, keeping her lips sealed firmly shut. She decided that then was the time to strike.

* * *

**A/N: **Hm, three weeks went by faster than I thought haha. All I can say is, I had the usual stuff – midterms, gymnastics meets, etc. Anyway, I don't really have anything more to say. It's currently 1 AM, and I have to get up at 7 for school tomorrow. Night! Oh, and thanks to all my kind reviewers! I'm sorry I didn't really have time to respond to any, but I appreciate it all the same!


	4. Chapter 4

**Disclaimer:** You know the drill...

**A/N**: So...it's been a while. My excuse? School, gymnastics, sickness (that truly sucked), and overall laziness. And the fifth chapter was a pain in the ass to write. Not gonna lie. Anyway, won't hold you up too long. Oh, and pardon my French. Literally (translations at bottom).

Created: 02/08/09  
Published: 04/11/09  
Modified: 04/11/09  
Word Count: 4501  
Beta: BlackElement7

* * *

Sing Me A Song:

Mon Sauveur

Sakura gasped and frantically began searching for a hiding spot. Hastily, she ducked behind a nearby hammock just as the first pirate walked through the open door. The noblewoman watched anxiously as the men tromped past her unawares, most of them brandishing a sword or weapon of some sort. Sakura silently cursed her pink hair and bright clothes; they were not very conducive to blending in with the background.

The last ones out were the two brothers, but while Sasuke headed straight to the ladder, Itachi only made it halfway through the room before stopping abruptly. From her hiding spot, Sakura could see his eyes narrow as he cast his gaze around the room, obviously looking for something or rather _someone_.

Sakura wanted to scuttle back into the corner to better conceal herself in the shadows, but she was afraid of making even the slightest noise. Surely, Itachi would hear it. She didn't know what it was about pirates, but they seemed to possess some kind of uncanny, innate ability to sense the presence of other people, even when given no evidence to the fact. It seemed a somewhat silly notion, but it'd happened both with Deidara during her capture and now with Itachi.

The noblewoman's breath hitched when his scrutinizing gaze swept passed her. She could've sworn his eyes had lingered in her direction for just a split second longer than usual before continuing their inspection. Halfway up the ladder, Sasuke had apparently noticed his brother's hesitation and glanced back.

"Itachi, is there a problem?" the spiky-haired male questioned, a slight frown marring his pale features.

The captain looked back up at the younger male and shook his head once in response as he started making his way back to the ladder.

"Not at all."

Sasuke gave a noncommittal grunt at his brother's answer and decided to ignore it, for the most part, as he continued his ascent. Itachi followed silently behind. Sakura didn't dare to move until both men had disappeared onto the main deck.

From up above, she could hear the sounds of the pirates preparing themselves for the impending battle with the occupants of the unknown ship, and though she would never say it aloud, she was inwardly hoping, praying that Itachi's crew would come out victorious.

By this point, she'd pretty much given up all hope that the aggressors were any allies of hers, and faced with this prospect, she would much prefer to stay with Itachi. He'd been right on one point, at least. He was infinitely more lenient than she ever could have wished or expected him to be considering her status as hostage. The captain of the other ship may not be quite as benevolent, and Sakura was unwilling to find out.

The noblewoman waited silently, listening intently for that now familiar clang of steel that would signify the beginning of battle. She didn't have to wait long. All too soon, clashing swords accompanied by cries of victory or defeat sounded a gruesome duet to her ears. She could feel that overwhelming compulsion to sneak up the ladder and take a peek at what was going on, who would prevail, but she resisted. She'd learned her lesson the first time.

Sakura didn't know how much time passed, but all she could think of was that she was tired of battles and pirates and adventures; they really weren't all that they were cracked up to be. Maybe it would have been better if she had indulged in silly romance books with neither substance or reason like proper ladies should.

She promised then that if she ever made it out of this alive, she would definitely give up her passion for action and thrills. Perhaps she would even settle down with a nice gentleman like her father had been urging her to do since her coming out five years ago when she was only seventeen. That Lee fellow would be a fine choice.

He was a friend of Tenten and Neji and would inherit a sizeable earldom from his father. Besides, he'd been half in love with her since the day Tenten introduced them in the middle of Sakura's first season. Even if her feelings for him were nothing more than platonic, surely she could grow to love him in time, right? He was kind and would treat her well. Most noblewomen were not allowed even these luxuries.

By now, her knees were begging for reprieve, and her legs had gone numb from crouching for so long. She wanted to get up to stretch her muscles but feared being found. No one had come down as of yet, but with her luck, the moment she came out in the open, someone would jump into the hold. Things always seemed to work out that way.

Almost as if she'd voiced her thoughts aloud, a man dropped into the hold through the square hole at the top. Sakura nearly squeaked in surprise but managed to keep herself in check. She noted that the unknown intruder was fairly small in both size and stature. He hardly looked the part of a seasonal brawler, but considering the way he was furtively assessing his surroundings, and moving with quick, stealthy movements, she highly doubted fighting was his main purpose anyway.

On one thing, she was certain; he was definitely up to no good. Making sure she was thoroughly hidden, Sakura watched as he moved about the dark sleeping quarters, picking up the few kerosene lamps scattered throughout. The first thought that came to Sakura's mind was that he was going to light the ship on fire, but then he deposited the lamps in the middle of the floor and promptly disappeared into the adjacent room where the cannons were held.

Confused but intrigued, the pink-haired noble continued to quietly observe as the man returned, this time, rolling a heavy barrel next to the lamps – a barrel full of gunpowder. Sakura's eyes widened in alarm. He wasn't going to light the ship on fire; he was going to blow it up. Panicking, Sakura tried to think of something to do, something that would stop him, for she obviously couldn't allow him to finish the job.

Every time he disappeared into the weapons room, he returned with another barrel full of the flammable powder. Her mind grasped for ideas but came up short. What could she possibly do to stop him without getting herself killed in the process? The solution came in the form of another figure jumping silently down into the hold when the man, once again, went to retrieve a fourth barrel.

Though the face was mostly obscured by shadow, the long blond hair and single blue eye were unmistakable; it was Deidara. Sakura couldn't have been happier to see him. Although she loathed to admit it, he could accomplish a lot more than her in this situation.

It only took one glance for Deidara to realize what was going on, and his lips curled into a derisive, almost maniacally-crazed grin. Drawing his sword, he stepped in front of the barrels and waited for his prey to return. Soon, the intruder was standing in the doorway, his eyes focused on the barrel as he rolled it in front of him. Deidara's grin widened.

"So this is yer art, yeah?"

Immediately, the man near the doorway stopped and snapped his head up in surprise. He nearly growled when he saw the blond pirate obstructing his path.

"Pathetic, yeah," the blond sneered, glancing disdainfully at the haphazard pile of explosives. He advanced on the smaller man.

Sakura didn't really know what he was talking about with this art nonsense, but as long as he kept that guy from blowing up the ship, she really didn't care what he said. The intruder in question looked at a loss for what to do, but then he scowled furiously and turned to run back out the door from which he came, abandoning the gun powder.

Deidara cursed and sprinted after him, knocking over the barrel in the process. No sooner had they disappeared through the door then yet another man landed in the hold. This one was much bigger and burlier than the other – almost as large as Kisame. Like Deidara, he took one glance at the pile of barrels and seemed to know exactly what had happened.

Not long after, he too was dashing down the hall-like room of cannons after the duo, leaving Sakura alone to contemplate, even as her feet urged her to follow, leaving Sakura alone to contemplate even as her feet urged her to follow them. All the 'what ifs' were coming to plague her now. What if even more men came down? What if Deidara needed help? What if he lost? But that was ridiculous. Of course he wouldn't lose. The blond could take care of himself…right? Sakura wasn't so sure.

Despite her hesitation, her feet began carrying her towards the door, even as she reasoned that there was nothing she could possibly do to help and that she would most likely just get in the way. Apparently, her body didn't agree at all with her mind, for she quickly found herself picking up one of the lamps from the center of the hold and flitting silently down the long armament room in pursuit of the three men.

She found them at the end of the room near the bow of the ship, though she noticed that the third man had yet to join the fray. He was hiding behind a cannon, much like herself, obviously waiting for an opening. Deidara was doing well against the smaller man. Sakura was no fighter, but even she could tell that the intruder wasn't either.

His movements were clumsy and amateurish, nothing like the smooth, precise strokes of Deidara's sword. It was obvious who the victor of this battle would be. Sakura's assumptions proved to be very much correct when, after a few exchange of blows, the blond broke through his opponent's weak defenses, catching him in the stomach.

Even though Deidara's body was almost completely obscuring his opponent from her view, she still flinched and turned her head away as he impaled the man on his sword. A sickening gurgle followed by a heavy thud indicated that it was probably safe to turn around now, and Sakura looked just in time to see the other man who had been hiding begin to advance towards Deidara from behind, sword drawn and at the ready.

Sakura had been so absorbed by the short duel between Deidara and the other intruder that she had nearly forgotten about the second man. He was the focus of her attention now, though, as he lifted his blade, ready to decapitate the blue-eyed pirate. Sakura didn't stop to think, only reacted as the man's arm began to descend on his target.

She was behind him almost before she realized she'd even moved, swinging the kerosene lamp in her hand at his head. The metal frame connected with a satisfying smash as the glass broke, sending small shards flying in every direction. The man before her instantly dropped his sword and crumpled to the ground. She doubted he was dead, but he was certainly down for the count.

Startled by the impromptu battle taking place right behind him, Deidara whipped around, slashing his sword in front of him. Sakura yelped as the sharp metal connected with her upper arm, slicing through the silk fabric of her sleeve to cut a thin, horizontal line. She stumbled back a few steps and grasped at the wound with the hand that wasn't clutching the kerosene lamp.

Sakura could feel warm liquid seep through the thin material of her dress, accompanied by a dull, stinging pain. She bit her lip to keep from hissing her discomfort.

"You! What're you doin' 'ere, yeah!?" the blond exclaimed, his single, visible eye widening in alarm.

Seeing that there was no immediate threat in the near vicinity, he lowered his weapon but continued to pin Sakura with a hard glare. He briefly eyed the wound on her arm but made no comment. He seemed entirely unrepentant of the fact that he'd come quite close to cutting of her arm! Sakura huffed angrily and glared right back.

"I just saved your life, you know. A simple 'thank you' would suffice quite nicely," the noblewoman bit out irritably. Despite the burn in her arm, she still managed her usual sarcasm.

Letting his eyes drop, Deidara noted the unconscious man lying between them, the shards of glass scattered around him, and the broken lamp hanging harmlessly from the pink-haired woman's fingers. He inwardly cursed. Damn, that was just he needed – to be indebted to a noble, and a woman at that. The blond scowled darkly and returned his gaze to the defiant lady standing before him. Like hell he'd repay her.

"I 'ad it unduh control, yeah. Yeh didn' need ta intafere," he ground out.

Sakura's mouth dropped open indignantly at the brush off, pain momentarily forgotten in the face of her self-righteous anger. "Now see here, I don't care how good of a fighter you think you are. If I hadn't stepped in, he would have lopped off your head, and you know it!"

The enraged pair stared each other down, seemingly trying to burn cigar-shaped holes in each other's heads with their eyes. The noise from the continuing battle above deck was the only thing keeping them from prolonging the impending argument. This was definitely not the time for petty disagreements.

Shaking his long bangs away from his face and huffing in annoyance, Deidara considered her for a moment before seemingly coming to some inner conclusion. Sakura was busy staring at the ceiling, trying to determine what was going on, when she felt a rough, calloused hand grab her wrist and begin to yank her down the hallway back towards the sleeping quarters. She glowered at the offending appendage.

"Unhand me!" she demanded in her most authoritative tone, perfected from years of ordering people around. The blond, however, was wholly unaffected.

"Are you hard of hearing? I said Let. Me. Go."

Sakura punctuated each of the last three words with a jerk of her arm, but when he continued to ignore her, she dug her heels into the floor and leaned back with all her meager weight. For all her efforts, she only ended up stumbling forward as he pulled her along. Growling in frustration, Sakura seriously considered kicking or biting the insufferable man until he finally glanced over his shoulder to shoot her a thoroughly annoyed expression.

"Stop strugglin', yeah. Do yeh want ta sit in th' middle of th' armament room an' wait for some other scallywag ta come along an' maim yeh?"

Sakura pursed her lips. "Then where, pray tell, do you suggest I hide?"

Deidara didn't reply, only picked up his pace a little, but this time, Sakura followed him quietly. They walked in silence through the sleeping quarter, but instead of heading up the ladder, the blond tugged her to the far right side of the room. She hadn't noticed it before, but there was another door mostly obscured by the shadows. Sakura could barely make out the word 'GALLEY' carved in the wood.

"You want me to hide in the kitchen?" she inquired skeptically, her expression a mixture of bemusement and incredulity.

"Whats it look like, poppet? Yeh should be safe in 'ere. The galley ain't a common battle ground, yeah.

Sakura grudgingly admitted that he had a point, though she would sooner walk the plank than tell him so. He didn't need anything else to inflate his already enormous ego. Glancing around the small kitchen, Sakura noted the little wooden table off to the side and dirty silverware piled high in the equally grimy sink.

She almost retched at the thought that she'd actually eaten with those utensils. The prospect was disturbing. The young noblewoman couldn't even recall a time when she'd been anywhere so wholly unsanitary. Just standing in the room made her feel like she was in dire need of a long, hot bath.

She turned back to the door to address Deidara irritably. "So, what now?"

"Wait 'ere, yeah," the blond replied snarkily.

He failed to tack '_duh_' onto the end of the sentence, but it was quite easy to deduce that he thought her rather daft. She thought she saw his one uncovered blue eye roll in exasperation and narrowed her own in return as he made to walk out the door.

"An' keep pressure on tha' wound, yeah," he threw over his shoulder before slamming the door closed on his way out.

Sakura blinked a few times in surprise, not expecting him to comment on her wellbeing at all. Then she was grinning widely and letting out a peal of tinkling laughter – the first time she'd laughed since her capture. The very idea that he actually cared about what happened to her was absurd. He was just covering his own ass. For whatever reason, Itachi wanted her alive, after all.

Clamping down on her amusement, the young noblewoman set about looking for a cloth to press against her arm – well, a clean cloth, anyway. The cut wasn't particularly large or life-threatening, but it was fairly deep. She'd already lost a good amount of blood, and if she didn't do something about it soon, she would pass out. Sakura was already beginning to feel a bit lightheaded.

Moving towards the kitchen, Sakura began rummaging around the cupboards for an acceptable washcloth. There was one lying in the sink near the mountain of dishes, but she disregarded it almost immediately. It was appallingly filthy and covered in some questionable substance that she had no inclination to identify.

Instead, she took to pulling open the few drawers and cupboards that she could reach. She'd just bent down to check the cabinet under the sink when she heard the door to the room abruptly thrown open. Assuming that it was merely Deidara, Sakura didn't bother turning around.

Moving aside some obviously unused cleaning supplies, she called out, "Are there any pieces of cloth that _aren't_ covered in grime?"

She'd expected to hear a disdainful, cocky retort from the blond, but the response she received was a low, dark chuckle that didn't sound at all familiar. Immediately, her breath caught in her throat as she paused in her fruitless quest for a clean rag. Ever so slowly, she stood up from her crouch and turned to face the newcomer.

The man before her appeared to be in his late twenties. His five o' clock shadow gave him a slightly rugged appearance, and his long, curly brown hair was pulled back in a low pony tail at the nape of his neck much like Itachi's. Various scars criss-crossed his arms and bare chest – a testament to his hard life of piracy, commonly referred to as the "sweet trade." Sakura couldn't see anything sweet about it.

« Qu'est-ce que c'est ? Une petite belle fille. » the man began, moving towards her with long, slow strides. « Pourquoi est-ce que vous êtes ici ? »

Belatedly, Sakura realized he was speaking French, and this only added to her anxiety. Sure, she had studied the language, but she'd never been any good at it. Now she dearly wished that she had paid more attention to her governess as the frustrated, middle-aged woman had tried to explain the various verb tenses like futur antérieur and plus-que-parfait. For some reason, though, Sakura sincerely doubted that any amount of French knowledge could help her in this situation.

Leaning back against the counter, Sakura frantically tried to search for an escape route but saw none. The only exit was the one he'd come through, and she would have to get around him to get to it. Mentally, the noblewoman cursed Deidara to the watery depths of the sea. _Safer here my ass,_ she snarled to herself.

The seething noble quickly put a halt to her inner tirade in the face of her current predicament. The Frenchman was now standing directly in front of her with a terrifying leer that made her insides churn with growing foreboding, and she instinctually cringed away to try and put some distance between them. He instantly caught on to what she was doing and seemed amused by the notion.

Perhaps as a way to goad an even stronger reaction from the small woman, he reached out to tug on a lock of her pink hair, rubbing the fine strands between his pointer finger and thumb. It took all of Sakura's willpower not to jerk away or try to bite his fingers off.

Undeterred by her nonresponsive state, the man tangled his fingers into her long, pink hair and leaned in to bury his face in the crook of her neck. There was a deep inhalation as he took a whiff of her scent.

« Vous tremblez. Avez-vous peur ? » he cooed softly against her skin.

Sakura's breath was beginning to come in quick, shallow pants, though it certainly wasn't from pleasure. Still, she managed to keep herself from moving. She felt his other hand come up to ghost gently down the length of her arm, making her hairs stand on end as he placed deceptively chaste kissed down the column of her delicate throat.

« Ne craignez pas, ma Chérie. Je ne vais pas faire mal à vous. »

Sakura closed her eyes and surreptitiously groped behind her for an object with which to defend herself – preferably something sharp. Occupied as he was, the Frenchman didn't notice her movements as he sucked on her pulse point hard enough that Sakura was sure it would leave a mark.

His hand had moved from her arm and was slowly traveling up her corseted waist, coming ever closer to the swell of her clothed bosom. Likewise, his lips moved from her neck to her jaw, dragging them up her cheek until he reached the corner of her mouth.

Then his lips were on hers as he kissed her roughly. It was nothing like she expected her first kiss to be. It was not tender and sweet, only harsh and dominating as he tried to force his way into her mouth. She did not relent, though, keeping her lips sealed firmly shut. She decided that then was the time to strike.

Gripping the object she'd found tightly in her hand, Sakura swung her arm around as hard as she could and wedged the steak knife up to the hilt in his shoulder. The ensuing cry of pain was blood-curdling as the man released her lips and dropped to his knees in front of her, clawing at his back.

Sakura had no time for hesitation. Darting around his bent over body, she tried to make her getaway, but the Frenchman had no intention of letting her escape, wracked with pain or not. Sakura yelped as he snatched her ankle, and she toppled forward, landing hard on her stomach. Panicking, she kicked her legs, trying desperately to pull free, but his grip only got tighter with her struggling.

Snarling, the man pulled her back and crawled up her body to pin her beneath him. In his hand, he held the bloody steak knife, which he had wrenched out from between his shoulder blades. Sakura pushed against his chest and tried to slide out from under him. A hard slap was delivered to her cheek in reply with enough force to snap her head to the side.

She could taste the blood in her mouth and feel burning tears threaten to run down the curve of her cheek as he gathered both her wrists in one of his hands and held them above her head. With his other hand, he pressed the flat edge of the knife against the side of her jaw and used it to turn her head back to face him.

« Me regardez, salope ! » he spat, sliding the metal against her soft skin. It made the shallowest of cuts on her cheek. « Je vais couper votre gorge avec ce couteau, d'accord ? Alors, tenez-vous tranquille ! »

All Sakura could comprehend was that he would surely kill her, and now his lips were back on her throat, searing her skin like an iron brand. She wanted him off of her. She didn't want to be touched like this, not by him, not by any one. She didn't want any of it, yet there was nothing she could do to stop him.

She'd never felt so utterly helpless in her life. Clenching her eyes and turning her head to the side, Sakura let the first dry sob send a tremor down her body. She was just about ready to give up and resign herself to her fate when suddenly, he stopped. There were no more bruising kisses, no more wandering hands, no more French utterances mumbled against her skin. Nothing.

Still, Sakura made no move to open her eyes, even as she felt the man's weight lifted from her body. She lied perfectly still, not daring to move, hardly daring to _breathe_. Surely he was only playing with her, trying to coax her out of her shell with a false sense of security. Well, she wouldn't fall for it.

"Open your eyes, Lady Haruno," a voice prompted. When it became apparent that she refused to listen, the voice came again. "Sakura."

This time, the petrified noblewoman nearly jumped at the sound of her name, her eyes fluttering open involuntarily. The sight that greeted her was the ever impassive visage of the captain. Said man was currently crouching beside her and leaning back on his haunches, looking for all the world like this was just a routine fire drill. The bloody stains that spotted his shirt and speckled his skin didn't seem to faze him in the least.

"Itachi? Wha-"

"Can you stand?" he interrupted, his onyx eyes taking in all the cuts and abrasions that mottled her once flawless, ivory-colored skin – the gash on her arm, the slice on her cheek, the purplish fingerprints forming on her wrists, the little red marks splashed across her neck and upper chest like water drops, the swollen lips… His gaze returned to her eyes.

"Y-yes," she managed to stutter out, sitting up slowly.

Giving her a curt nod, Itachi rose to his feet and offered her a hand. She took it without question, placing her dainty, feminine fingers in his calloused palm. With a gentle tug, she too was on her feet, albeit unsteadily. She stood still for a moment, trying to reorient herself, but then her head was spinning, and her vision blurred. Sakura realized somewhat belatedly that she was experiencing the effects of blood loss. Eyes rolling to the back of her head, her knees gave out, and she collapsed forward into Itachi's arms.

* * *

**Translations:**

Mon sauveur

My savior

Qu'est-ce que c'est ? Une petite belle fille. Pourquoi est-ce que vous êtes ici ?

What's this? A beautiful little girl. Why are you here?

Vous tremblez. Avez-vous peur ?

You're trembling. Are you afraid?

Ne craignez pas, ma Chérie. Je ne vais pas faire mal à vous.

Do not fear, my darling. I'm not going to hurt you.

Me regardez, salope ! Je vais couper votre gorge avec ce couteau, d'accord ? Alors, tenez-vous tranquille !

Look at me, bitch! I'm going to slit your throat with this knife, ok? Now, hold still!

* * *

**Preview:**

When Sakura woke up, the only thing that registered in her hazy mind was the dull ache that burned all over her body like scalding hot water through her veins. Not yet bothering to open her eyes, a small groan escaped her lips as she burrowed a little farther into the warmth of the bed. It was soft and plush and utterly comforting.

It was a nice change to the hard surface of Itachi's mattress that she swore was just a couple of wooden boards covered up by a sheet. Then Sakura bolted straight up in bed, her eyes flying open to survey her surroundings. Just where exactly was she, and how did she get there?

* * *

**A/N:** Unfortunately, I do NOT speak fluent French. If you do, or at least speak better French than me, please don't be afraid to point out my errors!! I'll try to update faster next time, haha. Won't make promises, though. G'night for now! And thanks to all my wonderful reviewers with your kind words and suggestions. A few of you actually suggested the same thing, and all I can say is, you'll see the difference soon. I think you know who you are =)


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